Louis Head, the stepfather of Michael Brown, has issued a formal apology for his reaction immediately following the St. Louis County grand jury decision not to indict former cop Darren Wilson for the unarmed teen’s death.
Head’s statement to CNN’s Don Lemon comes on the heels of a police investigation into whether Head intended to provoke a riot when he shouted “Burn this bitch down” after the announcement.
“Something came over me as I watched and listened to my wife, the mother of Michael Brown Jr., react to the gut-wrenching news that the cop who killed her son wouldn’t be charged with a crime; my emotions admittedly got the best of me,” Head said in his statement. “I was so angry and full of raw emotions, as so many others were, and granted I screamed out words I shouldn’t have screamed in the heat of the moment. I was wrong and I humbly apologize to all those who read my pain and anger as a true desire for what I want for the community.
“But to place blame solely on me for the conditions of our community and country after the grand jury decision goes way too far and is as wrong as the decision itself. To declare a state of emergency and send a message of war, not peace, before a grand jury decision is announced is also wrong,” the grieving stepfather added. “In the end I’ve lived in this community for a long time. The last thing I truly wanted was to see it go up in flames. In spite of my frustration, it really hurt me to see that. It’s time to rebuild. If we are to honor Michael Brown’s memory we need to work together to make rebuilding happen. I plan to remain here and do my part in earnest and in truth.”
Watch the CNN video below:
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